Kitchen Gas Appliances - Gas stove Controls
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01-22-02, 01:52 PM
:confused: We live in a mobile home here in Michigan. The stove we have is MAGIC CHEF.My question is , is there a way to make the controls easier to turn? Can I use an oil or what do you recmmend? We have to push in on the controls and turn to the right but ,my wife has arthritus and can not turn it very easy. Is it a wise idea to loosen these controls some how. Your reply will be very helpful. Thank You for any help you can provide. Mr E.C.Bastian (eudarel@triton.net
Sharp Advice
01-22-02, 09:19 PM
Hello Mr E.C.Bastian and Welcome to our Do It Yourself Web Site and my Gas Appliances forum.
The gas valves can be made to turn easily. They have to be oiled or disassembled and greased. However, knowing exactly how to perform this task requires slightly more then handy work.
Below is an excerpt from a prior posting I posted on how to accomplish this task.
There are some top burner valves that can be regreased. Doing this solves the occasional gas passage from the valve to the burner or orifice which creates the occassional gas odor smell and allows hard turning valves to work freely again.
There are other types of top burner valves which cannot be successfully taken apart and put back together again. Those types must be replaced with new valves.
ANY gas valve that has preset sized burner flames {High-Medium-Low and some that have a Simmer setting and click to denote the selection} cannot often be successfully disassembled and reassembled. These gas valves are the types that should be completely replaced.
The regreaseable type of valves {but not all} will have two tiny screws holding the valve core in place. This plate is located directly on top of the valve around the stem.
The securing plate may appear to look teardrop shaped to some persons. Basically it will have two oval shaped ears on the ends with two tiny screws holding each end down.
The main gas supply valve behind the stove must be turned off first. Then the two tiny screws, on the valve retaining plate, can be removed. Then simply lift the core out of the valve by holding onto the stem.
Clean the core and the bore it fits into with a cloth only. Use no cleaner, soap or WD-40! Apply a lite weight grease {any type of automotive grease will do} sparingly to the core only.
Put the core back in exactly as you found it. Push it down to be sure it's seated. Reinstall the cover ring and install the two tiny screws. Tighten the screws in carefully.
The valve now should look exactly as it did prior to removal. Rotate the valve on and off several times to spread the grease around and your done with this part.
Repeat the process on any other top burner valve that may also need greasing. Do one valve at a time to ovid confusion, damage and or mixup of parts.
Turn on the gas valve behind the stove and soap test for leaks both where you installed the core [on top of the valve} and at the orifice where the back of the burner sits on.
An alternative method to greasing is oiling. To perform this task, turn off the gas at the main gas supply line. Lift the stove top cover and remove the problem burner or burners.
Slip a soft automotive fuel line hose over the brass orifice. Hold the other end of the hose above the orifice and drop into the hose a few drops of 3 in 1 oil.
Then using a slight blow of air from your mouth, blow the oil in the hose into the valve core, while at the same time gently pulling upwards on the valves stem and rotating it on and off.
When this proceedure is done correctly, the oil will lube the valve, make it turn freely and help stop gas leakage to the burners when the valve is in the off position.
Should parts be needed, the best source for orginal replacement parts is your local retail appliance parts store. You can locate the store in the phone book.
For those who may not care to do this task, some natural gas utility companies offer this service.
Regards & Good Luck
Gas Appliances Forum Moderator
Tom_Bart....Company Enterprises.....TCB4U2B2B
Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Problem Diagnostics Technician.
Please be advised that although I have spent many years in the gas appliance industry, some appliance diagnostic information provided is exclusively from memory....:D
The gas valves can be made to turn easily. They have to be oiled or disassembled and greased. However, knowing exactly how to perform this task requires slightly more then handy work.
Below is an excerpt from a prior posting I posted on how to accomplish this task.
There are some top burner valves that can be regreased. Doing this solves the occasional gas passage from the valve to the burner or orifice which creates the occassional gas odor smell and allows hard turning valves to work freely again.
There are other types of top burner valves which cannot be successfully taken apart and put back together again. Those types must be replaced with new valves.
ANY gas valve that has preset sized burner flames {High-Medium-Low and some that have a Simmer setting and click to denote the selection} cannot often be successfully disassembled and reassembled. These gas valves are the types that should be completely replaced.
The regreaseable type of valves {but not all} will have two tiny screws holding the valve core in place. This plate is located directly on top of the valve around the stem.
The securing plate may appear to look teardrop shaped to some persons. Basically it will have two oval shaped ears on the ends with two tiny screws holding each end down.
The main gas supply valve behind the stove must be turned off first. Then the two tiny screws, on the valve retaining plate, can be removed. Then simply lift the core out of the valve by holding onto the stem.
Clean the core and the bore it fits into with a cloth only. Use no cleaner, soap or WD-40! Apply a lite weight grease {any type of automotive grease will do} sparingly to the core only.
Put the core back in exactly as you found it. Push it down to be sure it's seated. Reinstall the cover ring and install the two tiny screws. Tighten the screws in carefully.
The valve now should look exactly as it did prior to removal. Rotate the valve on and off several times to spread the grease around and your done with this part.
Repeat the process on any other top burner valve that may also need greasing. Do one valve at a time to ovid confusion, damage and or mixup of parts.
Turn on the gas valve behind the stove and soap test for leaks both where you installed the core [on top of the valve} and at the orifice where the back of the burner sits on.
An alternative method to greasing is oiling. To perform this task, turn off the gas at the main gas supply line. Lift the stove top cover and remove the problem burner or burners.
Slip a soft automotive fuel line hose over the brass orifice. Hold the other end of the hose above the orifice and drop into the hose a few drops of 3 in 1 oil.
Then using a slight blow of air from your mouth, blow the oil in the hose into the valve core, while at the same time gently pulling upwards on the valves stem and rotating it on and off.
When this proceedure is done correctly, the oil will lube the valve, make it turn freely and help stop gas leakage to the burners when the valve is in the off position.
Should parts be needed, the best source for orginal replacement parts is your local retail appliance parts store. You can locate the store in the phone book.
For those who may not care to do this task, some natural gas utility companies offer this service.
Regards & Good Luck
Gas Appliances Forum Moderator
Tom_Bart....Company Enterprises.....TCB4U2B2B
Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Problem Diagnostics Technician.
Please be advised that although I have spent many years in the gas appliance industry, some appliance diagnostic information provided is exclusively from memory....:D